"Like the Moon in the Sky" - Chapter 9
When Lu Qingyuan returned to the auction hall, the event was about to begin.
The guests had already arrived one after another, and the venue was nearly full.
The front row seats were reserved for important guests, while his own seat was in the second row.
Lu Qingyuan had initially wanted to look for the adorable girl he had fallen for at first sight, but before he could spot her, he noticed Lin Xu—wearing a flashy white suit—sitting in the second row and waving at him.
—It was hard to miss. Everyone else was sitting properly, but Lin Xu had his hand raised high.
Seeing the anxious look on Lin Xu’s face, Lu Qingyuan temporarily gave up his search and returned to his seat.
Lin Xu asked him, “Where did you go? Why did it take you so long to come back?”
Lu Qingyuan let out a long sigh, “Don’t even ask. Shen Qinghuai said my cousin was looking for me, so I thought it was my eldest brother and rushed over. But my eldest brother said he hadn’t called for me—you have no idea how icy his expression was. It was terrifying…”
“Since it wasn’t my eldest brother, it had to be my second brother. So, I hurried off to find him. He said he couldn’t find a book and thought he might have left it in one of the backstage rooms. He asked me to help look for it. I searched everywhere backstage, and just as the auction was about to start, I messaged him to ask if he could remember where he’d left it. Then he said he’d already found the book and didn’t need my help anymore. I wasted a full half-hour running around for nothing.”
“Is it possible—” Lin Xu glanced toward a certain spot in the front row, “—that Shen Qinghuai was trying to get you out of the way?”
Lu Qingyuan was stunned, “Why would Shen Qinghuai want to get me out of the way?”
Lin Xu, “That girl you fell for at first sight is sitting right next to Shen Qinghuai. They seem pretty close—probably his date for the evening.”
“What the hell!” Lu Qingyuan exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
Lin Xu hurriedly pulled him back down, “Calm down, calm down. If you disturb the guests, your eldest brother will have your head.”
Forced to sit back down, Lu Qingyuan grumbled, “How can I calm down? Damn it! Usually, it’s just my uncle and my brothers using Shen Qinghuai as a role model to lecture me. Now, finally, I meet a girl I like, and she’s connected to him too? But who told you they’re close?”
Lin Xu, “No one told me. I’m guessing.”
Lu Qingyuan, “On what basis? Just because they’re sitting together?”
Lin Xu said, “You were pulled away, so you didn’t see it. Shen Qinghuai personally escorted her to her seat. Not long ago, they were leaning in close, talking head-to-head. Even their outfits look like a matching couple-wear. See for yourself.”
Lin Xu pointed toward the front.
Lu Qingyuan turned to look in that direction.
Even the back of her head looked adorable.
The fabric and collar style of her coat were extremely similar to the one Shen Qinghuai was wearing—they really did look like matching outfits.
Lu Qingyuan recalled the front of her coat.
When it came to food, drinks, entertainment, and fashion, he knew a thing or two.
“They’re not exactly the same, but they’re from the same brand.”
Lin Xu continued, “Shen Qinghuai is close with your second brother, and you’re the one who told me he’s not as gentle as he appears. When have you ever seen him involved in any gossip? When has he ever brought a date to an event like this? Even if they’re not already together, he’s probably at least pursuing her, right?”
Lu Qingyuan, “…Damn.”
“And—” Lin Xu patted his shoulder sympathetically, “compared to having to compete with Shen Qinghuai, there’s something else you should be more worried about.”
Lu Qingyuan, “What?”
Lin Xu, “When you went to talk to her earlier, I taught you to say the painting had a Vermeer-like style, but you said ‘Vermeer’ as ‘Vermier.’”
Lu Qingyuan, “…”
Lin Xu shook his head and sighed, “Just give up, man.”
“But she didn’t laugh at me,” Lu Qingyuan suddenly said.
Lin Xu, “?”
“You’re not serious, are you? You’re still not giving up? You don’t even know her name yet. And you’re really planning to compete with Shen Qinghuai?”
“I can ask for her name after the auction ends. And what’s wrong with competing with Shen Qinghuai?” Lu Qingyuan said the last part with a hint of guilt. His uncle and eldest brother both thought highly of Shen Qinghuai. He had almost memorized Shen Qinghuai’s entrepreneurial history and achievements from all the times they were brought up.
But after stealing another glance at that adorable profile in the row ahead, he unconsciously straightened his back. “I’m not bad-looking either, you know.”
Lin Xu, “Well then, go for it. I’ll support you in spirit, my friend.”
Lu Qingyuan, “Only in spirit?”
“I’d rather not get on Shen Qinghuai’s bad side,” Lin Xu said.
Lu Qingyuan, “……?”
The main lights at the front lit up, and the auctioneer stepped onto the stage.
The auction had officially begun.
When the first item was presented, Lu Qingyuan nudged Lin Xu with his elbow.
“Don’t girls usually like little trinkets like this? Should I bid on it and give it to her?”
Lin Xu looked up.
The first lot of the evening was a Hetian jade carving of a small dog, apparently the work of a young jade carver who had recently gained attention.
The style was quite unique, and the piece was delicate, but due to the artist’s youth, it still lacked a certain depth. It wasn’t made from particularly precious material either, serving more as an appetizer to warm up the auction and an opportunity for the Yuan family to showcase emerging artists.
The starting bid was only 5,000.
Even if he couldn’t give it away and ended up stuck with it, he wouldn’t lose much money. So, Lin Xu didn’t dampen his enthusiasm.
“Bid if you want to.”
The more Lu Qingyuan looked at it, the more convinced he became that she would like it. As soon as the auctioneer finished the introduction, he immediately raised his paddle and offered: “50,000.”
Lin Xu, “……?”
“Excellent, number 25 bids 50,000. Are there any other offers?”
The auctioneer paused briefly.
“50,000 going once—”
From the row ahead and to the side, a slender hand was suddenly raised. The knuckles were distinct, the skin tone cool and pale, and against the black sleeve, it seemed almost to have a jade-like quality.
Lu Qingyuan immediately nudged Lin Xu again, “Look! Shen Qinghuai is bidding too! See, I told you she’d like it!”
Lin Xu was speechless for a few seconds. “What if Shen Qinghuai just likes it himself?”
Lu Qingyuan, “Then I definitely can’t let him win it.”
Lin Xu, “…”
Is it too late to cut ties with him now?
He silently shifted a little to the side, putting some distance between himself and Lu Qingyuan.
Shen Qinghuai bid 80,000.
Lu Qingyuan immediately raised his paddle again and bid 100,000.
Shen Qinghuai bid 120,000.
Lu Qingyuan raised his paddle once more, this time directly offering 300,000.
The auctioneer stood at the podium, “Any further bids? 300,000 going once, 300,000 going twice, 300,000—”
“Sold!” The gavel fell.
Lu Qingyuan, “?”
“Why didn’t he keep bidding?” he asked Lin Xu.
Lin Xu facepalmed. “Because, although he has money, he’s not stupid.”
That thing wasn’t worth 300,000.
“Who are you calling stupid?” Lu Qingyuan said discontentedly.
Lin Xu, “Whoever fits the description.”
Lu Qingyuan, “Let’s just end this friendship.”
The second item was a Hetian jade carving of a small cat, clearly from the same artist as the previous dog. The starting bid was still 20,000.
Lu Qingyuan thought it would be perfect as a pair, so he raised his paddle again and bid 50,000.
Soon, that slender hand from ahead and to the side was raised again.
Once more, the bid was 80,000.
Lu Qingyuan nudged Lin Xu triumphantly. “See, he’s bidding again. He must regret it now. You should take back what you said earlier.”
Lin Xu, “…”
Lu Qingyuan immediately matched the bid with 300,000 again.
Lin Xu facepalmed once more.
Auctioneer, “300,000 – any further bids? 300,000 going once, 300,000 going twice, 300,000—”
“Sold!”
Lu Qingyuan: “……?”
The third item was a bracelet.
Starting from this piece, the prices began to climb steeply.
Seeing that Lu Qingyuan seemed ready to continue bidding, Lin Xu hurriedly stopped him. “That’s enough. Giving someone too expensive a gift right after meeting them would just put pressure on her. The girl might not even like it.”
Zhu Jinyue had been playing games the entire time.
The two pandas that Shen Qinghuai had helped her win were just too adorable.
As national treasures, pandas were treated differently even in games. While other little animals had to work, pandas only needed to be cute and eat.
She first chopped a bunch of bamboo for the pandas to munch on, then started building a house for them, followed by constructing climbing frames.
She was so busy she didn’t even look up when the auction began.
When she heard Shen Qinghuai place a bid, she didn’t pay much attention at first.
It wasn’t until the second item came up that Zhu Jinyue heard him bid again.
She couldn’t help but raise her head.
On the large screen was a Hetian jade carving of a small cat.
The craftsmanship was relatively fine.
But she still hadn’t found the perfect gift for her grandmother. After returning to China, she had visited several master artisans. Before learning filigree inlay, she had just met with a renowned jade carving master.
Compared to that master’s work, this small jade carving clearly lacked refinement.
Zhu Jinyue turned her head to look toward the source of the other voice.
A staff member was handing a confirmation form to the bidder for signing.
The person looked up, noticed her gaze, and immediately flashed her a smile, revealing a pointed little canine tooth.
—It was that young master with white hair.
Zhu Jinyue shifted her gaze back and turned slightly to look at the man beside her.
Shen Qinghuai leaned back casually, his long legs crossed comfortably. He looked completely calm and composed, not at all like someone who had just lost something he cherished.
Besides, he didn’t seem like the type to be fond of such trinkets anyway, did he?
Zhu Jinyue blinked, “Do you have some kind of feud with him?”
Shen Qinghuai turned his head, his gaze lightly settling on her, “Am I allowed to talk to you now?”
Zhu Jinyue, “……?”
He hadn’t said a word since before the auction started until just now. Could it be because of her earlier remark, “Don’t talk to me for now”?
No way—there was no chance he hadn’t realized she was joking.
Besides, she had never known him to be so obedient to her before.
“Shen Qinghuai, you’re so boring.”
Shen Qinghuai chuckled softly, then finally answered her earlier question in a low voice, “No feud.”
“Then why were you driving up the bids against him just now?” Zhu Jinyue asked, puzzled.
Shen Qinghuai glanced back.
Lu Qingyuan was still looking in their direction. When he noticed Shen Qinghuai turn around, he waved the freshly signed confirmation form triumphantly, like a smug, provocative little puppy showing off.
Shen Qinghuai slowly turned back, smiling unhurriedly, “His cousin thinks he’s been a bit too reckless lately and asked me to help reduce his pocket money.”
Oh, really?
Zhu Jinyue thought about it and found it made sense.
With that little white-haired guy’s level of cunning, if he really had a feud with Shen Qinghuai, he probably wouldn’t stand a chance. He’d likely end up getting scammed out of his money and still happily deliver it to Shen Qinghuai with a grin.
Zhu Jinyue lowered her head and continued playing the game.
It wasn’t until she had completed all the free and paid tasks that she finally exited the game and put away her phone.
By then, the auction was already more than halfway through.
Zhu Jinyue finally reached out and picked up the catalogue on the table.
Since it was a charity auction, the commercial aspect was minimal, and there weren’t many extremely high-value items. She flipped through the pages with little interest until she reached the last page, where her fingertips paused.
—The highlight of this auction was an emerald tiara.
The centerpiece was a 10-carat Colombian Muzo emerald, cut in the classic emerald style.
The design was conventional, not particularly stunning.
But the clarity of the central stone was exceptionally high—it was an oil-free emerald.
Zhu Jinyue had always had a weakness for green gemstones.
Remembering what Fu Zhiwang had mentioned on the phone earlier, she pushed the catalogue slightly to the side.
Noticing her movement, the man beside her leaned slightly closer and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Zhu Jinyue pointed her slender, pale finger at the tiara in the catalog. “Are you bidding on this?”
Shen Qinghuai’s gaze followed her fingertip and lingered for a moment, “No.”
Zhu Jinyue, “?”
“Fu Zhiwang told me you were also interested in this,” Zhu Jinyue said, puzzled. “Did he get it wrong? Or did he really ask you to let me have it?”
“No,” Shen Qinghuai paused, his eyes returning to her face. “I originally planned to bid for a friend, but it’s no longer necessary.”
Zhu Jinyue nodded, “I see.”
Fewer competitors were always better.
After all, this person’s wealth was now beyond estimation.
As long as he wasn’t competing against her, it was fine.
Without the game to keep her occupied, Zhu Jinyue began to feel drowsy again, nearly dozing off in her seat.
She decided to log back into the game to watch the two newly acquired pandas munch on bamboo and climb the freshly built wooden shelf.
The beauty of the game was that the pandas would do exactly what she told them to.
It wasn’t until the auction for the final highlight began that Zhu Jinyue put away her phone again.
To her surprise, there weren’t too many bidders for the final item. In the end, she secured the tiara at a price lower than she had expected.
A staff member brought the confirmation form for her to sign, and Zhu Jinyue lowered her head to write her name.
In the row behind them, Lin Xu nudged Lu Qingyuan and whispered, “Wait, Zhu Jinyue just raised her own paddle, not Shen Qinghuai’s. She might not be his date after all.”
Lu Qingyuan was taken aback, “What do you mean she’s not his date?”
Lin Xu, “Did you forget? Your uncle’s auction only issues numbered paddles to guests. Any companions brought by guests share the same paddle.”
Lu Qingyuan’s eyes suddenly lit up, “So, you’re saying she might not be that close to Shen Qinghuai?”
Lin Xu shook his head, “Don’t get too excited. The guests your uncle invited are all well-known figures. Why don’t you just ask your brother directly who she is?”
Lu Qingyuan quickly shook his head, “I don’t dare. Besides, he’s about to go on stage to give a speech.”
“Then ask your second brother.”
“My second brother never involves himself in these matters.”
Lin Xu, “…”
Why was he stuck with such a hopelessly clueless friend?
He glanced out of the corner of his eye, “Fine, I’ll go ask Brother Qin for you.”
The auction was about to end, and Lin Xu’s seat was at the very edge of the second row. He slipped out quietly, barely causing a stir.
Lu Qingyuan watched as Lin Xu made his way over to the assistant surnamed Qin, who worked for his eldest brother. After exchanging a few words, Lin Xu quickly slipped back.
“One good news, one bad news. Which do you want to hear first?” Lin Xu asked.
Lu Qingyuan, “The bad news.”
Lin Xu, “Maybe I should start with the good news.”
Lu Qingyuan, “…”
“The good news is that the girl really isn’t Shen Qinghuai’s date, and she’s not someone he’s pursuing either,” Lin Xu said.
Lu Qingyuan, “Then what’s the bad news?”
Lin Xu, “The bad news is, the girl’s surname is Zhu, and she’s here on Zhu Qinghao’s invitation.”
Lu Qingyuan looked puzzled. “How is that bad news?”
“Your brain isn’t just for show—it’s for thinking too,” Lin Xu said, exasperated.
Lu Qingyuan, “A person can’t have all the good things in life. I’m already luckier than 90% of people just by being good-looking. If I were also highly intelligent, wouldn’t that be unfair to everyone else?”
Lin Xu only said three words, “Shen Qinghuai.”
Lu Qingyuan, “…”
“Stop sidetracking. What exactly is the bad news? And who is this girl anyway?”
“I’ve spelled it out for you. Her surname is Zhu, and she’s using Zhu Qinghao’s invitation. Who else could she be but Zhu Qinghao’s precious younger sister, the one who’s been abroad and rarely makes public appearances?”
“No way,” Lu Qingyuan exclaimed, startled. “She’s Zhu Jinyue?!”
“Exactly,” Lin Xu nodded. “Not only is she the second daughter of the Zhu family, but she’s also Fu Zhiwang’s girlfriend. She’s not single.”
Lu Qingyuan’s shoulders slumped instantly.
Lin Xu patted him sympathetically. “Forget it, man. At least your money went to charity for your uncle’s cause, so it wasn’t a waste. And honestly, you should probably thank Shen Qinghuai.”
“?” Lu Qingyuan was baffled. “Why should I thank Shen Qinghuai?”
Lin Xu, “With that rusty brain of yours that refuses to think, if Shen Qinghuai hadn’t distracted you earlier, what if you’d accidentally said something wrong and offended Zhu Jinyue? Do you think her sister would let it slide? That’s Zhu Qinghao we’re talking about—the woman who secured her position as president of Zhu Corporation in less than a year. She’s not someone to mess with, not to mention their family’s patriarch and Fu Zhiwang.”
After the eldest son of the Yuan family finished his speech on stage, the auction officially concluded.
Zhu Jinyue didn’t need to take the tiara with her; the Yuan family would deliver it to her home along with the certificate of authenticity tomorrow.
She stood up and walked out with Shen Qinghuai. Before they had taken more than a few steps, a figure darted in front of them.
Dressed in a black suit with striking white hair.
Lu Qingyuan wasn’t flashing his pointed little canine tooth this time. He looked dejected, his expression complicated as he glanced at Zhu Jinyue before turning to Shen Qinghuai. With an awkward expression, he shoved two boxes into Shen Qinghuai’s arms.
“Thanks.”
Then, without waiting for Shen Qinghuai to respond, he quickly ran off.
Zhu Jinyue, “?”
She looked down at the items in Shen Qinghuai’s arms.
They seemed to be the two small jade carvings.
What was this all about?
Was he really scammed by Shen Qinghuai and still handing over money?
Zhu Jinyue didn’t understand but was quite curious. She turned to Shen Qinghuai, “What did you do to him?”
“Wasn’t he the one who came over and shoved these into my hands?” Shen Qinghuai raised an eyebrow. “Why would you think I did something to him?”
Zhu Jinyue replied without hesitation, “With your intelligence, there’s not much he could do to you anyway.”
“What could I possibly do to him?” Shen Qinghuai chuckled softly, looking down at her. “Haven’t I been right beside you the whole time?”